Sweet Persuasion

Table of Contents

 

“A must-read author . . . her [stories] are always full of emotional situations, lovable characters and kick-butt story lines.”

—
Romance Junkies

 

“Definitely a recommended read . . . filled with friendship, passion and, most of all, a love that grows beyond just being friends.”

—
Fallen Angel Reviews

 

“Grabbed me from page one and refused to let go until I read the last word . . . When a book still affects me hours after reading it, I can’t help but Joyfully Recommend it!”—
Joyfully Reviewed

 

“I guarantee I will reread this book many times over, and will derive as much pleasure as I did in the first reading each and every subsequent time.”—
Novelspot

 

“An excellent read that I simply did not put down . . . a fantastic adventure . . . covers all the emotional range.”

—
The Road to Romance

 

“Searingly sexy and highly believable.”—
Romantic Times

FOR HER PLEASURE
SWEET SURRENDER
BE WITH ME
SWEET PERSUASION

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
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This is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Copyright © 2009 by Sharon Long.

 

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PRINTING HISTORY
Heat trade paperback edition / June 2009

 

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

 

eISBN : 978-1-101-07858-7

1. Sexual dominance and submission—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3602.A643S83 2009
813’.6—dc22 2008055290

 

 

CHAPTER 1

“
D
o you know of anyone who fulfills sexual fantasies?” Serena James asked.

Quiet descended. The hands massaging her tense shoulders stopped. Serena cracked one eye open to glance over at Faith Malone, who was lying on the next massage table, and then she craned her head to look over her shoulder at her masseuse, Julie Stanford, who owned the all-inclusive beauty salon Serena and Faith went to on a weekly basis.

“Uh, honey, you’re the fantasy fulfiller,” Julie remarked in a dry voice. “And do you have to talk about sexual fantasies while I’m giving you a rubdown?”

“Quit your bitching and keep massaging,” Serena grumbled.

She closed her eyes and relaxed back onto the table. She should have known better than to bring up what was occupying her mind lately. A quiet sigh escaped her lips when Julie began kneading her muscles again.

“The time to talk sexual fantasies is when I’m giving Nathan Tucker a massage,” Julie said in a dreamy tone.

Faith laughed next to Serena. “Is he a regular now?”

“Yep. Twice a month,” Julie said cheerfully. “Now
that
is a job I’d do for free. I have to be careful not to drool on his back.”

“Not the front?” Serena mumbled.

Julie chuckled. “He only lets me do his back. Pity. I’d pay him to massage that chest.”

“Only his chest, huh?” Faith said.

“Why only his back?” Serena asked.

Julie’s hands shook as she laughed. “He’s embarrassed, I think. Doesn’t want me to see his hard-on.”

Her hands moved more firmly over Serena’s back, and Serena groaned in pleasure.

“But enough about my obsession with Nathan Tucker. I want to know why you’re asking about sexual fantasies.”

“Yeah, me too,” Faith piped up. “Thinking of expanding Fantasy Incorporated?”

Serena chuckled. “Uh, no. Paying people to fulfill other people’s
sexual
fantasies is called prostitution, no?”

“Then why do you want to know about it?” Julie persisted. She patted Serena’s shoulder to let her know she was finished and then moved over to Faith.

Serena sat up and reached for a bathrobe, wrapping it around herself as she perched on the edge of the massage table. She stared over at Faith as Julie started her massage. Why
was
she asking about it?

It was a slip of the tongue, one made by her ever increasing frustration that her life’s work was all about fulfilling other people’s fantasies—some frivolous, some the culmination of lifetimes of hope.

She was proud of her work. She made other people happy. And maybe that was why she was frustrated by her own lack of contentment.

“Maybe I just need to get laid,” Serena muttered.

An amused grin split Julie’s lips. “Don’t we all. Well, except Faith here. I’m sure Gray is giving her all she needs in that quarter.”

“Hey, no hating,” Faith protested. “I can’t help it if I’m irresistible.”

Serena threw a hand towel at Faith’s head, and Faith reached up, snagged it from her hair and threw it back.

“When are you getting married anyway?” Serena asked Faith.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Faith said as she cracked her eyes open to stare at Serena. “We were talking about
your
sexual fantasy question.”

“Yeah, we were,” Julie said pointedly.

Serena let out an exasperated breath. “You two are worse than a dog with a bone.”

“Yep,” Julie said with a grin. “I have no life, remember? I have to live vicariously through my clients. Now spill.”

Serena bit her bottom lip then shrugged her shoulders. What the hell. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“I have some pretty . . . interesting fantasies.”

Julie snorted. “Don’t we all.”

Serena could see Faith’s blush start at her feet and creep up her body. She grinned. “Apparently Faith does, judging by that blush.”

Faith gave a mortified squeak and hid her face. “We’re not talking about me,” she said in a muffled voice.

“No, but I wish we were,” Julie muttered. “I bet that sweet, innocent exterior shields a twisted mind.”

“Serena. We’re talking about Serena,” Faith pointed out.

Julie turned back to look at Serena. “So spill, honey. What’s so interesting about your sexual fantasies, and why would you want to know if someone we knew could fulfill them? As gorgeous as you are, you wouldn’t have to walk far to find any number of men more than willing to take directions.”

Serena gave her a dark look. “I haven’t told you what my fantasies are.”

“Ooohhh,” Faith exclaimed. “Hurry up, Julie. This sounds like it’ll be good.”

“My magic hands are being dumped for her demented fantasies?” Julie asked in an exaggerated hurt tone.

“Like you aren’t every bit as eager to hear as she is,” Serena drawled.

Julie grinned. “True. Okay, Faith, all done. Better get dressed. You have no idea what Serena’s fantasies involve, and I have to think Gray would object to a lesbian threesome.”

Faith blushed bright red, and it looked like her insides were squeezed to the bursting point.

Serena rolled her eyes. “You’re way too easy, Faith.”

“You only think I’m all sweet and innocent,” Faith mumbled as she pulled on a robe.

“What was that?” Julie asked, pouncing on Faith’s statement.

“Serena. We’re talking about Serena. Remember?”

The phone rang, and Julie held up a finger for them to wait as she walked over to answer. Serena sat there with her feet dangling down the side of the table. In the weeks the women had been meeting for massages and then lunch, they’d discussed a lot of outlandish topics, but never had those included the personal details of Serena’s deep, dark fantasies, and she honestly wasn’t sure she was prepared to unveil them. Even to her two closest friends.

But if not them, then who?

Exactly.

She sighed. Maybe she should just forget about them and continue on fulfilling other people’s hokey fantasies.

Julie returned, a look of apology darkening her pretty features. “I’m sorry, guys. I can’t do lunch today. That was one of my clients in need of an emergency overhaul.”